The NBA's Ageless Wonders: Ranking the Best 30 Players over 30
The NBA is a young man's league, but there are plenty of age-defying senior citizens (relatively speaking) still holding their own against the youth.
In fact, "holding their own" will turn out to be a massive understatement in a few cases toward the top of our rankings. Holding the crown, more like.
We'll rank these over-30 gentlemen on the basis of their statistical performances this season, but we won't confine the criteria to numbers alone. If you wanted to look up the box-score plus/minus of every player over 30 and organize it in descending order, you could do that on your own. Actually, here you go.
We're after more than that, so we'll consider the player's impact on his team, the size of his role and where he rates among all NBA competitors where applicable.
If you're out for the season, you're ineligible. That keeps Dwyane Wade and Rudy Gay from joining the proceedings. Both would have ranked in the top half pretty easily.
We beg forgiveness from Vince Carter, Nene, David West, Zaza Pachulia, David Lee, Ian Mahinmi, Tyson Chandler, Courtney Lee, Channing Frye and Jared Dudley. Good players all, but not quite good enough to jump from honorable mention to the full list.
Which follows...now!
30. Shaun Livingston, Golden State Warriors
1 of 30Age: 31
2016-17 Stats: 4.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists
There aren't many players of any age quite like Shaun Livingston. And even if including a guy averaging about five points per game on this list might signal a preference for novelty that's a little too strong, you can't deny the oversized point guard's unique skill set.
Livingston doesn't shoot threes; he's made just two in three seasons with the Golden State Warriors.
But he's a post-up nightmare for opposing guards, and he even favors a pull-up mid-range jumper when defended by taller players. His high release and comfort with those types of shots, largely disfavored by the rest of the league, help him hit a terrific percentage from the field. He's over 50 percent for the third straight year.
Defensively, Livingston's length makes him a key to the Warriors' switchy style, and he's a tremendous passer who rarely forces the issue. His turnover percentage of 15.2 percent this year is a career low.
Plus, I'm just going to guess he's the only over-30 point guard who regularly finishes lobs thrown by power forwards.
29. Thabo Sefolosha, Atlanta Hawks
2 of 30
Age: 32
2016-17 Stats: 7.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists
The days of Thabo Sefolosha annihilating the opponent's best wing scorer while hitting over 40 percent of his triples are done, but the 32-year-old Atlanta Hawks wing remains a valuable commodity.
ESPN's defensive real plus/minus rates him as an immensely positive influence, a contention backed up by his career-best steal rate this season. Though he's lost much of his lateral mobility, Sefolosha compensates with veteran savvy and surprising physical strength.
If he can't anticipate when you'll get the ball, he'll just rip it away from you once you have it.
And though he's in the midst of his 11th season, the vet isn't getting special treatment from head coach Mike Budenholzer, who punted Sefolosha from the starting lineup for one game after Atlanta traffic made him late to practice.
28. Trevor Ariza, Houston Rockets
3 of 30
Age: 31
2016-17 Stats: 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists
There's a case to be made that Sefolosha belongs above Ariza, largely tied to his superior defensive impact. But Ariza—even if his reputation on D has long been a bit overblown—still performs fine on that end.
He, like Sefolosha, is one of just 13 small forwards producing a defensive RPM over 1.5.
Ariza's real edge comes on the other end, where he's part of the Houston Rockets' high-volume three-point attack. He's attempting a career-high seven three-pointers per game and converting them at a respectable 34.7 percent clip.
Increasingly an offensive specialist, over 70 percent of his shots come from three-point range. As a result, Ariza's effective field-goal percentage is over 50 percent for the fifth year in a row.
Add in a dash of defensive versatility (he can guard some 4s), good length on a 6'8" frame that's still mobile enough, and you have a solid starting-caliber player who can help on both ends.
27. Kyle Korver, Cleveland Cavaliers
4 of 30
Age: 36
2016-17 Stats: 10.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 44.7 3P%
If you're into unsolvable mysteries, try figuring out how a 28-year-old Kyle Korver only played 18.3 minutes per game for the 2009-10 Utah Jazz...in a season when he led the league with a truly obscene 53.6 percent accuracy rate from three-point range.
One of the greatest shooters in NBA history, Korver broke out of a "slump" that saw him shoot just 40.9 percent from distance with the Hawks following a trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Since joining up with an offense that creates more open shots than Korver's ever seen, all he's done is bury 48.7 percent of his treys.
Though a defensive liability, Korver remains one of the most feared shooters in the game. When opponents scramble to keep him from getting clean looks, they're not thinking about Korver's age. They're thinking about a guy who is still one of the deadliest marksmen out there.
26. Tony Allen, Memphis Grizzlies
5 of 30
Age: 35
2016-17 Stats: 9.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 steals
If we were ranking guys over 30 by the amount of fear they inspire in opponents, you could make a case for Tony Allen belonging in the top 10.
Still starting for the Memphis Grizzlies, Allen remains a physical, handsy, brutally strong shutdown master. He's not as quick as he once was, but screening Allen continues to be impossible. And even when he's seemingly out of the play, he has a way of reappearing in the right place at the right time.
That's how you put together seven straight years with at least 1.5 steals per game.
Every attempted dribble is an adventure, transition chances scream disaster and a 30 percent three-point stroke renders Allen unusable against several playoff opponents. But it's hard to find a more awe-inspiring stopper in the league—let alone among players over 30.
25. J.R. Smith, Cleveland Cavaliers
6 of 30
Age: 31
2016-17 Stats: 8.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists
J.R. Smith was once just as likely to ignite a crowd with a gravity-pausing dunk as a "no, no, no, yes!" three-pointer, but he's swapped out much of his dynamic offensive repertoire in favor of a narrower role with the Cavs.
This year, he's taking three triples for every two-point basket he attempts.
And you could make the case that he's never been more valuable.
In addition to being a reliable knock-down shooter (37.5 for his career), he's in a situation where his wilder instincts are necessarily tamped down. He can't get away with quite as many ill-advised flings on a team with so many options and such a clear hierarchy.
Still, Smith can generate his own offense, and that earns him placement ahead of guys like Korver and Ariza.
Defensively, there's not much to discuss. But we're still low enough in the rankings were weaknesses are to be expected.
24. DeMarre Carroll, Toronto Raptors
7 of 30
Age: 30
2016-17 Stats: 9.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist
DeMarre Carroll hit his peak in 2014-15, when he averaged 12.6 points on 39.5 percent shooting from deep while defending four positions for the 60-win Atlanta Hawks.
It's not as if Carroll has fallen off a cliff since then, but a nasty left knee injury in the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals and a subsequent surgery on his right knee in January 2016 conspired to diminish his effectiveness just enough to turn him from an elite role player to a perfectly fine rotation piece.
Downgrade aside, Carroll is still an important two-way piece for the Toronto Raptors—a player who can guard a couple of positions and slide up to power forward in undersized lineups.
With the No. 21 box plus/minus among players over 30 this year, he's still making an impact.
23. Jamal Crawford, Los Angeles Clippers
8 of 30
Age: 37
2016-17 Stats: 12.1 points, 2.7 assists, 1.6 rebounds
Jamal Crawford didn't make it this far without a plan.
"I play a crazy style of game," he said, per B/R's Josh Martin. "It's not good for analytics or anything, but it works for me."
How perfect is that?
Crawford's explanation neuters the most common criticism of his game—that he's inefficient at the one thing he's theoretically good at, scoring—and substitutes a fairly persuasive explanation for his style of play.
I don't think I've ever liked him more than I do right now.
Whatever your thoughts on Crawford may be, you can't knock his consistency. He's averaged at least 10 points and one made triple every season since 2002-03.
22(a) and 22(b) Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
9 of 30
Age: 39 and 34
2016-17 Stats: 7.6 points, 2.7 assists, 2.3 rebounds; 10.4 points, 4.7 assists, 1.9 rebounds
These two are a package deal because it just feels like the right thing to do, and because there was no way I was leaving one off in favor of the other.
Ginobili is playing fewer minutes than ever, but he's still shooting 39.1 percent from deep and is making the most of diminished playing time by ramping up his activity level.
His steal rate, for example, has never been higher. As a result, his defensive box plus/minus is higher than it's been in nearly a decade. Clever passing, off-tempo drives and timely buckets from downtown are all still part of the Ginobili package.
Parker's role has also diminished, and his waning quickness means he's no longer one of the league's best finishers in the lane—a distinction he earned in every season of his considerable prime. Nonetheless, he's scoring in double figures for the 15th year in a row while handing out 4.7 assists in just 25.6 minutes per game.
It's going to be a while before we see another pair of guards stay this good for this long.
21. Taj Gibson, Oklahoma City Thunder
10 of 30
Age: 31
2016-17 Stats: 11.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist
Age has a way of augmenting toughness.
Maybe it's the steady increase in old-man strength, or maybe it's just the result of a no-nonsense reputation cultivated over years of gritty, grimy, physical play.
Whatever the source, Taj Gibson is still as tough, professional and effective as ever.
And there's no doubt his 60-foot heave is in top form.
A slight decrease in playing time since a trade sent him to the Oklahoma City Thunder has depressed his numbers a bit, but Gibson remains a fiery defensive force who'll knock down an open mid-ranger and battle underneath.
The sample is still small, but OKC has played better with him on the court.
A free agent after this season, Gibson will surely field offers from several teams looking to add his valuable mix of experience and high-motor play.
20. Joe Johnson, Utah Jazz
11 of 30
Age: 35
2016-17 Stats: 8.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 39.0 3P%
The undersized-4 trend couldn't have come along at a better time for Joe Johnson, who tried on the position with last year's Miami Heat and found it to his liking.
Johnson is a proven shot-creator with uncommon size for a wing, and as his quickness has disappeared, he's had success breaking down bigger opponents off the dribble. His ability to handle most 4s on defense means Johnson's offensive skills are usable against all but the burliest foes.
In a career-low 23.1 minutes per game, Johnson is giving the Utah Jazz experienced leadership and quality minutes at power forward—not to mention a 39 percent hit rate from three-point range.
For a team that is increasingly effective when slotting four perimeter players around Rudy Gobert, he's an ideal fit.
19. Lou Williams, Houston Rockets
12 of 30
Age: 30
2016-17 Stats: 18.0 points, 3.1 assists, 2.3 rebounds
Lou Williams' career year took a statistical hit when he traded in perpetual garbage-time minutes with the Los Angeles Lakers for meaningful competition against engaged opponents with the Houston Rockets.
Still, one of the game's best bench scorers fills an important role as a lead creator with Houston's second unit.
A deceptive, contact-seeking, foul-drawing scorer, Williams is still averaging 15.2 points per game with the Rockets (down from 18.6 with L.A.).
If he ices a playoff game with a fourth-quarter binge against opposing backups, he'll be worth it. But if Houston can't use him in high-leverage games because of defensive concerns (I know, I know: Houston worrying about defense...I'm laughing, too), he may not prove worthy of this spot.
18. Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies
13 of 30
Age: 35
2016-17 Stats: 14.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Zach Randolph's transition from entrenched starting star to big-minute backup and second-unit anchor has gone about as well as any similar undertaking in recent memory.
A starter just three times this season, he's doing more in less time, posting 21.1 points per 36 minutes—his highest average since 2008-09. And he's not just mopping up against soft competition or hand-picked matchups; Memphis still turns to him when the game is on the line.
His 4.2 field-goal attempts per fourth quarter tie Mike Conley for the team lead.
Randolph can't go around anybody anymore, but his lean-away jumper and bruising right-shoulder battering-ram drives still work.
17. Wesley Matthews, Dallas Mavericks
14 of 30
Age: 30
2016-17 Stats: 14.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists
The prototypical 3-and-D wing since before that term was thrown around every five seconds, Wesley Matthews' presence on this list is something of a surprise.
Mainly because...he's already 30?
This is only Matthews' eighth year in the league, but a rare four-year college stay at Marquette makes him one of the oldest members of his draft class. That is, if he had a draft class—which he technically doesn't, since Matthews wasn't picked in 2009.
A career 38.5 percent shooter from long range, Matthews is now two years removed from a devastating Achilles tear. Dogged defense and continued long-range accuracy make him an excellent starter at age 30—even if he's not quite the same weapon he was pre-injury.
16. Pau Gasol, San Antonio Spurs
15 of 30
Age: 36
2016-17 Stats: 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Find him the right matchup, and Pau Gasol can still tear it up.
Take his 22-point, nine-rebound effort against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday as a perfect example.
Now a bench weapon for the San Antonio Spurs, Gasol's deft touch, reliable mid-range jumper and passing acumen make him a handful for the inexperienced or undersized. And as long as opponents aren't equipped to exploit his lack of defensive mobility, he's capable of putting together takeover stretches.
Most second units, as luck would have it, can't punish Gasol for his weaknesses.
He's averaging 13.7 points per game in 23.1 minutes as a reserve this year, which beats the 11.7 points he's posting as a starter in 26.4 minutes.
15. Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
16 of 30
Age: 38
2016-17 Stats: 14.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Playing Dirk Nowitzki requires an all-hands-on-deck defensive compensation plan, but if you can find ways to hide and minimize his exploitable areas, he can still flat-out fill it up.
Among the litany of remarkable things about Nowitzki at this stage of his career is how his decline rejects a linear progression.
Nowitzki's rebound rate has only been higher in one previous season. His steal rate is at a three-year high, and his block rate hasn't been this high since 2004-05. Some of that is the result of playing more center than ever before, but it's still notable that a 38-year-old is improving for any reason.
Note, too, how Nowitzki has increased both his scoring average and field-goal percentage since the All-Star break. Five players have averaged at least 14.4 points per game at 38 or older: Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Reggie Miller.
Dirk is the fifth.
14. Marcin Gortat, Washington Wizards
17 of 30
Age: 33
2016-17 Stats: 11.2 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists
A second-half statistical dip and the return of Ian Mahinmi (who would have made this list if not for missing several months at the start of the season) have Marcin Gortat a slot or two lower than he would have otherwise been.
Because while everyone focused on John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter as the sources of the Washington Wizards' climb up the East standings, Gortat played a significant role in his own right.
Even after posting five straight single-digit scoring games in March, Gortat is one of just a dozen players averaging at least 10 points and 10 rebounds this season. His pick-and-roll chemistry with Wall is enough to make you wonder about ESP, and at a burly 6'11", Gortat is at least a large space-eater on D—even if he's not known for defending the rim.
13. J.J. Redick, Los Angeles Clippers
18 of 30
Age: 32
2016-17 Stats: 14.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, 41.4 3P%
You might not see the differences that justify slotting J.J. Redick this many spots ahead of Kyle Korver, but they're there.
Redick, for one thing, does just about everything Korver does—except at a faster pace. On average, Redick's speed on offense is 4.92 miles per hour. Korver's is 4.62.
You can see the increased chaos Redick's sprinting—around screens, along the baseline, up the sideline in search of transition threes—causes, and it's no coincidence his presence on the floor coincides with an offensive rating of 113.1.
Without him, L.A. scores just 103.9 points per 100 possessions.
Watch as he gets a contract worth at least $20 million per year in free agency this summer. You'd be hard-pressed to expect that of anyone we've ranked to this point.
12. Carmelo Anthony, New York Knicks
19 of 30
Age: 32
2016-17 Stats: 22.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists
It's long been en vogue to bash Carmelo Anthony for what he's not: a defender, a proven winner, a guy who can be the best player on a team with even the faintest championship hopes.
But inject a little perspective into the discussion, and it's easy to rate him this highly for our purposes.
For starters, only one guy in our qualified group averages more points per game than Melo does. And if you're looking for someone to anchor your offense, there might only be one or two guys on this list you'd pick over Anthony. Cut contract details out of the equation, and Anthony suddenly looks better, too.
Another point to consider: He's the only guy we've hit so far who has played in the last 10 All-Star Games. Quibble with the significance of that distinction if you like, but it means something.
11. Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors
20 of 30
Age: 33
2016-17 Stats: 7.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists
If we were ranking this list by number of career Finals MVPs won, well, first of all, it'd be a whole lot shorter.
But second, Andre Iguodala would rank even higher.
The skills that helped Iguodala earn that honor in 2015 are still intact. At age 33, his field-goal percentage, three-point percentage, defensive rebound rate and assist rate are all on three-year upward trends. His usage rate continues to decline, but that's mainly in response to the Golden State Warriors piling up All-Stars who need their scoring touches.
With the best clean-strip hands in the business, lockdown ability on D and the ultra-rare skill of running an offense as a wing player, Iguodala is the best do-it-all bench option in the league.
The only reason he doesn't rank higher is because it's unclear if he could be this impactful in a bigger role.
Everyone from this point on is a big-minute starter on a playoff team.
10. LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs
21 of 30
Age: 31
2016-17 Stats: 17.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists
LaMarcus Aldridge is slowly being absorbed into the San Antonio Spurs biomechanical hive mind, which may be the reason his scoring average is lower than it's been since his rookie season.
It may also be why he's quietly developing skills that'll prolong his career and make him an even better fit on a perpetual winner.
Though he's not shooting many of them, Aldridge is hitting 44.2 percent of his three-point attempts and posting his best assist rate since 2013-14. Soon, he'll shed the concept of "self" entirely and achieve total Popovichian transcendence.
9. George Hill, Utah Jazz
22 of 30
Age: 30
2016-17 Stats: 17.2 points, 4.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds
It's worth wondering whether this George Hill is the one we could have had all along.
Though interrupted by injury a handful of times, 2016-17 has been Hill's best season. Career highs in scoring and true shooting percentage accompany a ranking in the 93rd percentile among pick-and-roll ball-handlers. Basically, Hill proved this year that the 43-game sample of high-usage offensive leadership he flashed in 2014-15 was the real thing.
On defense, he's long and rangy enough to handle either guard spot. And if you want the advanced metrics, only four players over age 30 have a higher box plus/minus than Hill this season.
Hill is a big reason the Utah Jazz are on their way to a top-four finish out West.
8. Al Horford, Boston Celtics
23 of 30
Age: 30
2016-17 Stats: 14.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists
Al Horford's counting stats are down, but he may be playing a more important role than ever.
According to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, "On the court, he has assisted on 23.8 percent of the Celtics' baskets, blowing away the 14.1 percent assist rate he compiled over nine seasons with the Hawks."
"I just think his presence makes unselfish basketball contagious, because he always makes the right play," Celtics head coach Brad Stevens added.
It's not a coincidence Boston scores 111.4 points per 100 possessions with Horford on the floor and 104.6 without him.
7. Dwight Howard, Atlanta Hawks
24 of 30
Age: 31
2016-17 Stats: 13.1 points, 12.8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
If you trim out backups and short-minute ceremonial starters (sorry, Zaza Pachulia), Dwight Howard checks in behind only Rudy Gobert and DeAndre Jordan in defensive RPM among centers. This is the first sign that even if he's not the MVP candidate he was seven or eight years ago, he's still a hugely positive force.
Other signs include Howard's league-leading offensive rebound percentage and the second-highest true shooting percentage of his career.
Even if another over-30 Atlanta Hawks talent overshadows him, Howard remains one of the best "old" big men in the NBA. Every center should be lucky enough to have a decline phase that looks like this.
6. Goran Dragic, Miami Heat
25 of 30
Age: 30
2016-17 Stats: 20.3 points, 6.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds
You know that second-half surge captivating the NBA? The one in which an 11-30 Miami Heat squad decided it'd barge in on the playoff picture and post the second-best net rating since the All-Star break?
Yeah, that's mostly Goran Dragic.
Everything about the Heat's improbable rise stems from or ties back to Dragic—from the team's frenetically relentless pace-pushing to its "screw it, we're winning" swagger. The Slovenian lefty is thriving as the lead decision-maker in Miami.
And when Dragic doesn't play? The Heat are 1-8.
Dion Waiters provided the late-game heroics, and Hassan Whiteside is posting the gaudy double-doubles. But Dragic is the guy running things. He was an All-NBA third-teamer in 2013-14.
He's that good right now.
5. Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks
26 of 30
Age: 32
2016-17 Stats: 18.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists
By several measures, we're watching Paul Millsap's worst season in a half-decade.
And guess what: It's still really, really good.
The undersized power forward's smarts and versatility make him the key to a top-five defense, and Millsap has taken on that role while averaging 18.1 points per game and taking on a larger share of playmaking duties in the absences of Jeff Teague and Al Horford.
His 3.8 assists per game are a career high.
In a strange way, Millsap's lack of flash has come to define him. It's his style, and you're not really allowed to talk about him without mentioning it.
If there's a blue-collar, utilitarian basketball fan out there who subconsciously discriminates against anyone under 30, Millsap is definitely his favorite player.
4. Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
27 of 30
Age: 32
2016-17 Stats: 20.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists
Speaking as an older brother, I cannot condone Marc Gasol's lashing out or otherwise asserting his own personhood against the elder Pau. It is a cosmically disruptive act that threatens the natural order of who gets to pick on whom.
But I get it.
Marc is the anchor of a terrific defense and is scoring over 20 points per game for the first time in his career—thanks mainly to the addition of a high-volume, high-accuracy stroke from deep. He's hitting 38.5 percent of his 3.7 triple tries per game.
There are 15 players averaging at least 20 points per game and shooting over 38 percent from deep this season. Only four of them are over the age of 30.
Just one is a center.
Gasol, regardless of age or unconscionable acts against his family, is uniquely good.
3. Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
28 of 30
Age: 30
2016-17 Stats: 22.8 points, 6.9 assists, 4.8 rebounds
Including Kyle Lowry on the list is an act of optimism.
The criteria from the outset disqualified players with season-ending injuries, and Lowry hasn't played since injuring his wrist Feb. 15. But he got a good prognosis on his initial 4-5 week recovery timetable in a checkup last week, so he makes the cut.
And, seriously, he's been too good this season to miss making this list.
There are only a handful of lead guards who petrify defenses at the point of attack with the off-the-dribble threat of a deep three. Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard come to mind first, and there are five others who've attempted at least four pull-up threes per game this season.
Lowry, at 42.5 percent, is the one member of that group hitting over 36 percent on such shots.
And remember, these kinds of threes destroy defensive schemes because they force opponents to either trap or go over the top of the pick nearly 30 feet away from the basket. Basically, players who do what Lowry does create immediate defensive breakdowns from the moment they cross half court.
Forget the age criteria. Lowry was one of the half-dozen best players in the league before he got hurt.
2. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
29 of 30
Age: 31
2016-17 Stats: 17.4 points, 9.3 assists, 5.0 rebounds
There's not much new to say about Chris Paul, who's been the best pure point guard in the league for roughly a decade.
CP3 still controls the pace, still gets wherever he wants and still manipulates nine other players every time he runs a picture-perfect pick-and-roll. Just like he's done for years.
One novel development is an improved three-point shot that's been going in at a clip above 40 percent for only the second time in Paul's career. That new toy has him posting his highest true shooting percentage ever.
Paul is the gold standard for the old-school, pass-first floor general—a leader still handling the controls of a top-notch attack and still cranking up some of the league's best backcourt defense on the other end.
No signs of decline here.
1. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
30 of 30
Age: 32
2016-17 Stats: 26.2 points, 8.8 assists, 8.4 rebounds
Sorry if this is anticlimactic, but forget 30; LeBron James would have ranked first on a list of the 30 best NBA players over the age of three.
At 32, the best player alive is really falling apart. If, by falling apart, you mean averaging career highs in rebounds and assists per game while shooting 54.3 percent from the field.
Think of it this way: If we looked at every season in which a player over the age of 30 averaged at least 26 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, we'd find only one.
The one James is having right now.
He isn't just the best player over 30 this season. By at least one simple measure, he's the best player over 30 in history.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated and are accurate through games played Monday, March 20.
